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Salmon angling is very much horses for courses you pay your money and you take your chance. Usually the more you pay you will be buying time on a prime beat at peak season where if conditions are right your chances of success are greatly enhanced. Some of these rentals can be eye watering, to say the least but this is not the case on my local association water on the Whiteadder on beats administered by the Berwick and District Angling Association where I can pursue salmon from the first day in February to the last day in November on a pensioners ticket costing £130 for the season allowing me to fish five days a week. I could pay a further £30 and be allowed to fish Saturdays also , but five days is enough. The Whiteadder is the furthest downstream of Tweed tributaries and I think fishes best with river levels running at 2ft above normal summer level as shown on Fish Tweed web site. Certainly been no lack of high water levels this spring and it was a disappointment not to have had a t least one fish during April. The May holiday weekend once again saw high water levels and come Monday morning the river side saw me at 6 ; 30 am, hoping to avoid the Bank Holiday rush. Beat one, the Bridge Stream always a banker and it was looking good a nice flow of water through the neck into the deeper recesses of the pool. A small river it takes only 15 minutes to fish this run through, thrice in fact with different weight leaders to try different depths. To no avail. Ah well my second banker on Beat 1 is the tail of the top pool which fishes best at 2ft and over, not today! Nothing left but to search the water yard by yard on the half mile down to the starting point. Some good streams and some good pools here , most of which have yielded fish in the past but its hard going today. For some reason I fish through a swirly bit pool which is usually inclined to draw fly and line into the dead depths and not fishing through properly. Today the higher water carries all before it. There is a slight tap felt through the line, parr like nothing substantial but the line has stopped. Lift the rod and a wriggle wriggle weight is felt and its, "fish on". Nothing spectacular about this fight it is dogged never running more than ten yards of line out but this fish does not want to exit the river. Eventually it is beat and the net slipped under it a gleaming tide fresh estimated 9 pounder cock fish which goes back into the river in accordance with Tweed rules. Tuesday morning follows much the same pattern as Monday, The two favourite pools bottom and top given due attention before fishing the water down again. Just as hope is fading a strong draw on the line and ,"fish on" again. This character pulls line from the screaming reel like a banshee, its strong, it dives it thrashes on the surface but eventually the net enfolds it. Another cock fish which must be at least ten pounds, some botched photographs and back it goes. Wednesday its blowing a hooly, difficult and dangerous casting situation on Beat 2 today and the result is a blank although a successful angler is met. Jammy sod! Thursday much needed allotment day. Friday early doors and back to beat 2 and a pool where fish were seen on Wednesday. Once through, twice through different tactics third time a small brass tube fly to get down to fish level. Again, as on Monday, the take is not spectacular. In fact no pull or draw is felt, the line appears to stop and on lifting the rod a fish is on. About 8 pounds this time a bar of silver, again acok fish which returns to the depths with a flick of the tail. Breakfast is calling but a try through the Bridge Stream on beat one wont take long. This is usually a good holding pool, but only one fish has been seen by me this season and that away downstream beyond casting distance. A row of trees, deep water and a built retaining wall prevents a closer approach. Nothing in the neck , wade as far as possible, cast as far as possible then feed out several yards of line to cover the lie. Something not tried previously. Right on the dangle the line pulls tight, bending rod screaming reel its a fish on again. Backing out to a position where this fish can be played in safety and comfort the fight begins in earnest. Only for the rod to straighten and the line spring back, its gone. Bacon and eggs are no longer calling, they are shouting through megaphones. Cant complain as never had three spring fish in a week during May before and its Tweed on Saturday better keep something in reserve for the big river. Blackpowder P>S> there is no residential qualification for season tickets while day permits are a modest £30